Inter-dwelling signal management using reconfigurable antennas

ABSTRACT

A communication system utilizing reconfigurable antenna systems is described where beam steering and null forming techniques are incorporated to limit the region or volume available for communication with client devices. The communication system described restricts communication to defined or desired area and degrades signal strength coverage outside of a prescribed region. An algorithm is used to control the antenna system to monitor and control antenna system performance across the service area. This antenna system technique is applicable for use in communication systems such as a Local Area Network (LAN), cellular communication network, and Machine to Machine (M2M).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.62/290,416, filed Feb. 2, 2016; the entire contents of which are herebyincorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to the field of wireless communication;and more particularly, to a communication system configured tocommunicate with one or more client devices on a communication network,wherein the communication system is capable of constructing a customizedcommunication zone, and only within the communication zone may the oneor more client devices communicate with the communication system. Inaddition to the communication system, this invention further relates tomethods for using the communication system.

Description of the Related Art

A proliferation of wireless communication systems such as wireless widearea networks (WWAN), also referred to as “cellular systems”, andwireless local area networks (WLAN), have improved communication andprovided benefits associated with real-time mobile voice communicationsand internet access in both homes and businesses.

WLAN, specifically, has been adopted across homes and businesses in manyregions of the world; with a large number of client devices, such as butnot limited to: smartphones, laptops, and tablets, being capable of WLANtransmission/reception. More recently, WLAN has been adopted for highthroughput applications, such as, for example, video streaming forin-home applications. These WLAN communication systems require goodperformance from the RF radio and antenna system integrated therein inorder to ensure quality operation. In addition, these WLAN communicationsystems becoming increasingly popular in homes correspondingly increasethe signaling encountered in apartment buildings and neighborhoods.These in-home video streaming applications are offered by serviceproviders who garner revenue per home, or customer, and there is adesired need to limit video streaming and internet access service forthe exclusive use of the paying customer, and not to other un-intendedusers. Un-intended access of WLAN signals by these un-intended userswill result in reduced revenue at the service provider as well asreduced capacity for the paying customer.

With the need for higher signal strengths or receive signal strengthindicator (RSSI) levels in houses and apartments among other buildings,in order to support video streaming and other high data rate internetusage, such as gaming, the RF and antenna system performance will becomemore important in terms of providing strong RF signaling throughout theintended dwelling.

Unfortunately, with passive antennas used in WLAN systems there is nocontrol over radiation pattern coverage and the field of view that theantenna system can cover once the WLAN enabled device, such as a gatewayor access point, is placed in a house. At a fixed transmit power leveland a fixed antenna radiation pattern the electromagnetic (EM) wave willpropagate within the house or dwelling, and will continue to propagatethrough the exterior walls or confines of the dwelling. Blockage andabsorption from the walls, door, and furniture in the dwelling willattenuate and disturb the EM wave, but some of the radiated energy willextend beyond the dwelling and into neighboring houses, apartments, andother places. If security measures are not implemented in the signaling,or if the service subscriber allows other residents in neighboringhouses or apartments to access the signaling, for example, by providingthe password for a specific access point or gateway, then decreasedrevenue for the service provider will result.

While the above represents one detailed issue in the art, it would berecognized by others with skill in the art that a myriad of similar andrelatable problems also exist.

Whether an end-user desires to protect her signal from unintended usersin adjacent dwellings, or whether a service provider desires to limitthe spatial access from a particular communication system, there is aneed for such a communication system that can be configured tocommunicate with one or more client devices on a communication network,wherein the communication system is capable of constructing a customizedcommunication zone, and only within the communication zone may the oneor more client devices communicate with the communication system, suchthat the signal access is restricted or confined within a desired space.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, a communication system is described. The communicationsystem is configured to communicate with one or more client devices on acommunication network, wherein the communication system is capable ofconstructing a customized communication zone, and only within thecommunication zone may the one or more client devices communicate withthe communication system.

In another aspect, methods are provided which relate to use of thecommunication system described above.

These and other aspects, embodiments and variations will be furtherappreciated by those having skill in the art upon a thorough review ofthe enclosed description and the appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an access point located within a first house, a radiatedsignal from the access point is shown throughout the first house andfurther extending into a second house, wherein each of the housescontains client devices capable of communicating with the access point.

FIG. 2 shows an access point located within a first house, a radiatedsignal from the access point is shown throughout the first house andfurther extending into a second house, wherein each of the housescontains client devices capable of communicating with the access point;wherein a repeater is introduced in the second house to enhance thesignal for communication with devices in the second house.

FIG. 3 shows an access point with integrated reconfigurable antennas,the reconfigurable antennas are adjusted to create two radiationpatterns suitable for signal coverage throughout the first house, butnot adequate for communication in the second house.

FIG. 4 shows an apartment building with six apartments, a first accesspoint with passive antennas produces a first radiation pattern, and asecond access point with passive antennas produces a second radiationpattern, the first access point is capable of communicating with fourclients in four apartments, respectively, whereas the second accesspoint is capable of communicating with two other client devices withintwo other apartments; the illustrated schematic results in lost revenuesfor service providers and reduced capacity for the paying subscriber.

FIG. 5 shows the same apartment building as described in FIG. 4,however, each access point includes a reconfigurable antenna systemcapable of adjusting its respective antenna radiation pattern mode; theillustrated schematic results in reduced losses attributed to unintendedusers.

FIG. 6 shows a method for using a communication system in accordancewith various embodiments described herein.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An communication system with integrated reconfigurable antenna system isdisclosed that provides reconfigurable radiation modes and an algorithmthat tasks the antenna system to provide good RF signal strengthcoverage for a defined region while minimizing RF field strengthexternal to the defined, preferred region. A training session initiatedat hardware installation in a home or other dwelling is described wheremeasurements are performed to map signal strength within the dwellingacross various radiation modes of the reconfigurable antenna system,with this information used in conjunction with the algorithm to servicewireless clients in the dwelling or region. This new system levelapproach is applicable to a wide variety of communication systemsincluding WLAN in homes, apartments, and businesses.

A reconfigurable antenna system is described, wherein antenna beamsteering hardware is combined with an algorithm to optimize RF signalstrength when coupled to a radio within a defined region such as a houseor apartment while minimizing RF signal strength exterior to the region.This process is performed by generating multiple radiation modes thatcan be used to illuminate the defined region and tracking RF signalstrength or other metric per mode throughout the region. The algorithmis tasked with determining which radiation mode provides adequatecommunication system performance at exterior boundaries or walls of thedesired region to provide communication coverage while reducing RFsignal strength exterior to the boundary of this desired region.Radiation modes selected for use with client devices at the boundary ofthe region might not provide the highest data Throughput but instead themode used might be chosen to provide a Throughput at a specific value orrange of values to service the client at the boundary, with thisradiation mode providing lower Throughput or signal strength outside ofthe desired region. The various radiation modes generated by thereconfigurable antenna system will have different radiation patternshapes and/or polarization properties when compared to each other. Themode selection process will take into account the desire to service aclient device at a set signal strength level, with this signal strengthlevel capable of supporting a desired modulation coding scheme forexample, while minimizing signal strength levels exterior to the regionthat communication is desired.

Certain embodiments describe a communication system, such as an accesspoint or similar device, configured to utilize reconfigurable antennasystems within, such that beam steering and null forming techniques areimplemented in order to construct a finite space available forcommunication between the system and one or more client devicesnetworked. This antenna system technique is applicable for use incommunication systems such as a Local Area Network (LAN), cellularcommunication network, and Machine to Machine (M2M).

In one embodiment, a WLAN radio with reconfigurable antenna system isused for communication in a house. The client devices used with thisWLAN radio have fixed locations, for example client devices located ateach television in the house used for video streaming of content fromthe WLAN radio. At installation of the WLAN radio and client devices thereconfigurable antenna system with algorithm can be run through atraining session where the multiple radiation modes of thereconfigurable antenna are transmitted and radiated performance at eachclient device is measured and stored. This radiated performance can bemeasured in the form of signal strength such as RSSI, Signal toInterference and Noise Ratio (SINR), Modulation Coding Scheme (MCS),Channel Quality Indicator (CQI), or some other metric. If radiatedperformance measurements can be conducted using a client device externalto the intended region, such as outside the exterior walls of a house orin the apartment adjacent to an apartment selected for the communicationsystem, then the measurements are performed to determine signal strengthlevels exterior of the intended region per radiation mode. For thisstatic situation where client devices are intended to be stationary theradiation mode that provides a set level of performance per client canbe selected and assigned for use during system operation. The algorithmcan sample additional modes during operation to verify that the modeselected is optimal for a set level of communication link performance.The goal of the reconfigurable antenna system with algorithm working inconjunction with the WLAN radio is to provide a specific signal strengthat a client device within an intended region such as a house orapartment while minimizing signal strength external to the intendedregion, i.e. on the other side of an exterior wall. Radiation modes areselected not to optimize signal strength in the intended region but toprovide an adequate or required signal strength in the desired regionand low signal strength external to the region.

In another embodiment, the scenario previously described is implementedwhere a WLAN radio and reconfigurable antenna system with algorithm isused to provide service to a house or apartment. Instead of fixedclients the clients can now be mobile. For example, instead of clientspositioned at televisions within the house or apartment the clients arelaptops and smartphones used by residents moving about the dwelling. Inthis case the algorithm performs the same optimization function in termsof restricting signal strength levels exterior to the dwelling but themodes are sampled more frequently to compensate for a changingpropagation channel.

In another embodiment, a training session is performed, with thetraining session consisting of measurements performed at multiplelocations internal and if possible, external to the region or dwellingwhere communication is desired. Previously described metrics such asRSSI or SINR are mapped as a function of location to determine modesthat can support a set level of communication system performance as wellas modes that will reduce signal strength external to the region ordwelling.

In another embodiment, a unique identifier for WLAN radios used asclients and for access points, such as a MAC address, can be inventoriedfor the communication system formed by access points and client devices.For closed systems such as video streaming wireless systems that havespecific access points or gateways that stream to a fixed number ofclient devices within a house or other dwelling the signal strength atclient devices can be increased by selecting the optimal radiation modeof the reconfigurable antenna system while the signal strength atclients that are not a part of the intended communication system can bereduced by choosing radiation modes that suppress or “null out” theunintended client device. This system level approach can be used todegrade WLAN quality to client devices that are not part of the intendedsystem, as when a customer of a video streaming service to allow accessto the video stream to neighbors who are not customers of the service.This technique will minimize revenue loss of service providers byreducing usage of their services by users who are not customers.

The following invention describes a system for restricting radiatedfield strength to allow the capability to service clients within aspecified region and to reduce the field strength at clients locatedexternal to the specified region. A method is also described whereunique radio identifiers at the clients allow for radiation modeselection of the reconfigurable antenna system at the serving radio toselect radiation modes that improve signal strength at desired clientsand reduces signal strength at clients with unique identifiers that donot correspond to identifiers on a preferred list.

Now turning to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a first house 10 a wherean access point 11 is located in a first room of the house, with theaccess point used to communicate with four clients 12 a; 12 b; 12 c; and12 d, respectively, within the first house. The radiated signal 13 fromthe access point 11 also propagates into a second house 10 b, which isadjacent to the first house 10 a. Three clients 12 e; 12 f; and 12 gwithin the second house 10 b are within the radiated field 13 of theaccess point 11 located in the first house 10 a.

FIG. 2 illustrates a first house 10 a where an access point 11 islocated in a first room of the house, with the access point used tocommunicate with four clients 12 a; 12 b; 12 c; and 12 d, respectively,within the first house. The radiated signal 13 from the access point 11also propagates into a second house 10 b, which is adjacent to the firsthouse 10 a. Three clients 12 e; 12 f; and 12 g within the second house10 b are within the radiated field 13 of the access point 11 located inthe first house 10 a. Here, a repeater circuit 14 is provided in thesecond house at a position nearest the access point 11 of the firsthouse. The repeater circuit 14 receives and re-broadcasts theinformation from the access point 11 to clients 12 e; 12 f; and 12 gwithin the second house.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment similar to that of FIG. 1, including afirst house 10 a where an access point 11 is located, with this accesspoint containing a reconfigurable antenna system which can generatemultiple radiation patterns, or modes. Two radiation modes are shown, afirst radiation pattern mode 15 a and a second radiation pattern mode 15b, with these two modes capable of illuminating client devices withinthe first house 10 a, but with reduced signal strength at client deviceslocated in the adjacent second house 10 b. A receive signal strengthindicator limit line is shown, wherein the access point 11 is configuredto limit the signal strength beyond the limit line.

FIG. 4 illustrates a multi-story apartment building 43 where two accesspoints are located, one in each of the two apartments. The radiated RFfield from the access points illuminates client devices located inmultiple apartments in the building. A first access point 41 serves fourclient devices 44 a; 44 b; 44 d; and 44 e, respectively, with firstradiation pattern 45 spanning four apartments 43 a; 43 b; 43 c; and 44 dof six shown apartments of the apartment building 43. A second accesspoint 42 serves two client devices 44 c and 44 f, with second radiationpattern 46 spanning two apartments 43 e; 43 f of the six apartments ofthe apartment building 43. Passive antenna systems are used in theaccess points in this drawing, with no method of controlling radiationpatterns to suppress radiation in un-desired regions, resulting in aloss of revenues for service providers and reduced link budget capacityfor paying subscribers.

In contrast to that shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 5 illustrates a multi-storyapartment building 43 where the two access points 41 and 42,respectively, are located in two 43a; 43f of the six apartments. Each ofthe six apartments has a client device 44 a; 44 b; 44 c; 44 d; 44 e; and44 f located within. Each access point has a reconfigurable antennasystem capable of generating multiple radiation modes. This capabilityallows for restricting the RF signal strength from the radiated fieldsof the access points from providing adequate signal strength to clientsin adjacent apartments within the building; i.e. the un-desired clientdevices or un-desired regions.

FIG. 6 illustrates a method for implementing a training session usingbeacon devices at fixed locations within the geographical region,describes the selection of modes for client devices in the region, andregisters unique radio identifiers per client which can be used toimprove or degrade communication link performance per client based onradio identifier.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A communication system comprising: areconfigurable antenna system integrated with the communication system,the reconfigurable antenna system being capable of configuration in oneselected mode selected from a plurality of possible modes, wherein thereconfigurable antenna system comprises a distinct radiation patternwhen configured in each of the plurality of possible modes; thereconfigurable antenna system being configured to transmit and receivesignals with one or more client devices coupled with the communicationsystem; the communication system further comprising: a processor andalgorithm configured to: establish a communication zone associated withthe communication system, wherein the communication zone comprises aspatial volume surrounding the communication system and defines aperimeter within which communication with the one or more client devicesis possible, and control the selected mode of the reconfigurable antennasystem, wherein the selected mode comprises a mode of the plurality ofpossible modes which provides optimal signal strength metric within thecommunication zone and minimum signal strength metric outside of thecommunication zone.
 2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein thereconfigurable antenna system comprises a radiation pattern having adistinct shape or polarization properties in each of the plurality ofpossible modes.
 3. The communication system of claim 1, wherein thesignal strength metric comprises receive signal strength indicator(RSSI), signal to interference and noise ratio (SINR), modulation codingscheme (MCS), or channel quality indicator (CQI).
 4. The communicationsystem of claim 1, wherein the reconfigurable antenna system comprises aplurality of multi-mode reconfigurable antennas, wherein each multi-modereconfigurable antenna is adapted to produce a distinct radiationpattern associated therewith, such that the reconfigurable antennasystem is adapted to produce a plurality of radiation patterns, one foreach antenna.
 5. The communication system of claim 4, wherein thecommunication system is configured to: establish a communication linkbetween the reconfigurable antenna system and each of the one or moreclient devices; generate a plurality of radiation modes of thereconfigurable antenna, and with each of the modes generated, survey thesignal strength metric between the reconfigurable antenna system andeach of the client devices, and select a mode of the reconfigurableantenna for each client device to provide a signal strength within apre-determined range for the communication link and to minimize signalstrength outside of the communication zone.
 6. The communication systemof claim 4, wherein the communication system is configured to establishthe communication zone by implementing a training session, the trainingsession comprising: establishing a communication link between thecommunication system and at least a first client device of the one ormore client devices; locating the first client device at three or morepositions within a confined space; and establishing a communication zonebased on information communicated between the first client device andthe communication system at each of the three or more positions.
 7. Thecommunication system of claim 6, wherein the communication system isconfigured to implement a selected mode for each antenna of thereconfigurable antenna system that achieves optimizes signal between thecommunication system and the first device when located at each of thethree or more positions.
 8. The communication system of claim 6, whereinthe training session further comprises: at each of the three or morepositions: generating a plurality of radiation modes of thereconfigurable antenna, with each of the modes generated, measuring thesignal strength metric of the communication link, storing dataassociating the measured signal strength metric, mode of thereconfigurable antenna system, and location, and repeating saidgenerating, measuring and storing at each of the three or morelocations; and determining a mode of each reconfigurable multi-modeantenna of the reconfigurable antenna system that provides the desiredsignal strength metric at each position and minimizes signal strengthmetric outside of the communication zone.